Op Blue Star was 'wrong way', Indira Gandhi paid for it with her life: Chidambaram

However, he was quick to add as well that the operation was, however, a "cumulative decision of the army, the police, the intelligence and civil service" and that Indira Gandhi cannot be solely blamed for the same.

'Wrong way'

Speaking at a literary event at Himachal Pradesh's Kasauli, Chidambaram said that his statement is not to “disrespect” any military officers in the audience but Blue Star was the "wrong way" to retrieve the Golden Temple.

“A few years later, we showed the right way to retrieve the Golden Temple by keeping out the Army. Blue Star was the wrong way, and I agree that Mrs Gandhi paid with her life for that mistake," he said.

Operation Blue Star

In June 1984, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had authorised Operation Blue Star to flush out militants, led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, from the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar.

Bhindranwale, who was holed up inside the Golden Temple, was killed after the Indian Army stormed the premises, one of the holiest sites for Sikhism.

Also read: 1984 to 2024: Lessons for India from Operation Blue Star, 40 years on

The army operation which caused significant damage inside the temple, sparked massive resentment within the Sikh community.

Just a few months later, in retaliation, Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards – and this sparked off devastating anti-Sikh riots across India. Beant Singh and Satwant Singh were Indira Gandhi's bodyguards and killed her on October 31, 1984, at her residence.

Although the former minister’s sharply criticised one of India’s controversial military actions, Chidambaram said at a literary event in Himachal Pradesh’s Kasuali.

Collective decision

“That mistake was the result of a collective decision involving the Army, police, intelligence agencies, and the civil service. It’s unfair to place the blame solely on Mrs Gandhi—would you?” Chidambaram questioned.

He made these remarks while speaking at a discussion on They Will Shoot You, Madam: My Life Through Conflict with author Harinder Baweja. This discussion was held at the Khushwant Singh Literature Festival in Himachal Pradesh's Kasauli on Saturday (October 11).

Shadow over Congress

According to government estimates, over 3,000 Sikhs were killed in Delhi and elsewhere.

Also read: 40 years after Operation Bluestar, Punjab still restless and rudderless

The Congress party’s response to the events of 1984, including former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s controversial remark, “when a big tree falls, the ground shakes”, has continued to cast a long shadow over the party.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has frequently invoked the 1984 riots to push back against Congress’s political offensives.